Chapter 2 Truth and Timelines
I don't know what happened after that. The last thing I can remember is my breathing speeding up and my vision going black in a matter of seconds, but before I passed out, I think I heard my Dad shouting. Then everything went black. When I woke up I was lying in my bed, it was well past sunset and the only light in the room was from a lamp next to me. Dad was laying at the bottom of the bed, his head by my feet snoring quietly. My Mother was next to him, her head reaching my thigh.
I looked around for Pepper and found I couldn't see her anywhere. My heart rate started racing in my sudden panic until I felt a familiar soft hand on my face. I turn abruptly to see her, almost giving myself whiplash, lying next to me in a blue T-Shirt and navy jeans. Her face is a few inches away above mine, her left hand resting on my cheek. Just seeing her causes my heart to slow back down and I feel my body relax and the Leopard quiets down and stops the shift. I feel a purr begin to rip through my chest and I don't stop it, and I close my eyes and hold Pepper's hand to my face breathing in her familiar scent.
Another purr enters the room and I open my eyes to see Pepper holding my other hand to her face, I don't even remember her touching it, a content expression on her face. She opens her eyes and smiles and both our purring becomes louder. Her purring is quieter compared to mine, slightly higher as is expected of a female, but also there's less vibration. Before I can ask about what happened I feel the bed jolt as my Father jumps up with a scream, causing us both to jump and wake up my Mother in the process.
They both stare at us and we stare back unsure of what just happened. My Father breathing deeply and in a panic state that I've never seen him in before. I looked at Mum who immediately put her arms around him and started speaking to him in rapid fire, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. I know that sounds crazy, but that's just how we speak when we're at home. Dad came up with the idea of talking in all three of the languages at the same time as a type of code so no one would be able to spy on him and Mum.
He did that before I was born so I grew up with it, I started teaching Pepper a few months after we met and started dating, she's managed to get the hang of it, but still struggles on when to switch to Portuguese from Italian as the structures between all three are rather different. I'm not entirely sure what Dad was dreaming about, but I do have a few good ideas and none of them exactly pleasant. After a few more minutes (meaning about 10-20) Dad finally calms down and rests his heads against my other's chest, suddenly looking 20 years older than he is (and he's 74). He looks tired and I don't mean physically, but emotionally he looks just exhausted. Something I've never seen on my Father, and I'm not sure if that is good or not.
"Dad...?" I'm not entirely what to say, but everything I'm feeling managed to come out through that one word. All my worry and shock and fear rippling through it. He looks up at me and sighs quietly before he stands up and moves closer to me sitting beside my legs. My Mother moves closer to me resting a hand on my leg, silent comfort that only causes me to become more panicked. Pepper, obviously sensing my panic, moves closer to me and puts her hand in mine which thankfully slows my heart. I take a deep breath and ask my questions, thankfully this time I'm not interrupted. "What did you mean... What is it that's killing me and why would it kill me at 20?" Pepper surprisingly isn't surprised at my words, and I suspect they already told her, because she's looking at me with sadness on her face. I look back at Dad who looks so sad that I almost start crying, suddenly afraid of the answers.
"When you were born, Tony... Your heart was weak, you were born dead. The doctor's did everything they could to start your heart again but there was nothing they could do. Your older brother Arno had died the same way just a year before you were born. I couldn't bear to have you share the same fate as him, your Mother wouldn't be able to handle another birth." He paused letting that sink in, giving me some time to breathe again before I nodded to him for him to continue.
"I'd been trying to recreate the super soldier serum for S.H.I.E.L.D at the time. At the time it wasn't working, but I was determined not to lose you. I spent three days creating the serum before I injected it into your dead body. It took some time for the serum to take effect, but when you breathed for the first time I felt pure happiness for the first time in years. The doctor's took you into another room to take care of you, and for a while everything was alright. It wasn't until you were a few weeks old that I discovered that the serum would only be able to keep you alive for a few years at a time, so whenever you became sick with a severe fever that could kill you, I would inject you with the serum. But now your body has adapted to it and I can't make a stronger serum. Your body is immune to it now. That's why we hoped you would marry Pepper, so that both of you could have some happiness before things go downhill."
I don't know what to say to that. I'm shocked that my life has been on the line since before I took my first breath. I take a few deep breaths to steady my heart again before asking what will happen when the serum starts to wear off before I die. At his answer I almost blackout again and it's only thanks to Pepper squeezing my hand so much that it hurts that I manage to remain conscious.
"You're going to be injured more easily and prone to heart-attacks or strokes and they can happen at any point but only if your heart rate accelerates at an incomprehensible speed. I don't know when they'll start, but as soon as you and Pepper get married I am going to be tightening your security at school." After almost blacking out again my Mother goes to the kitchen and brings me a glass of water and a tray of food, and that causes me to think, How long was I out for?
When I ask I have to fight to stop myself from passing out again and I can't understand why until my Father's face goes pale and he mutters "It's starting" and Pepper ends up spending 15 minutes calming me down so that I don't have a heart-attack. I'd been out for 5 hours which is why Pepper found out about my problem before I did because she was on the verge of a break down due to the grief she was still going through with her parents' death and worry over meas. After I finally manage to eat and drink my water without passing out I lay back against the pillows and close my eyes, trying to accept what I'd just been told. I know I won't be able to accept it for a while, but I want to at least work at it before so that it will be easier.
I'd almost forgotten Pepper and my parents were in the room as me until I felt something warm against my cheek and I jump in surprise and start to growl until I see Pepper and my expression turns from aggressive to sheepish almost instantly. Pepper smiles at my expression and strokes my black and brown hair, causing me to start purring again, but more quietly than before as I'd realised that's what had caused my Dad to wake up in a panic, our purring had reminded him of the tanks and engines in the war. My Dad seemed to realise what I was doing and smiled at me, a small smile but one that left my heart glowing in my chest. It seemed to me, that despite everything I'd learned and what could happen to me, that everything would be better somehow and I couldn't wait to get married.